2 Fahrenheit 451 Answers - Google Docs PDF

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2 Fahrenheit 451: “The Sieve and the Sand” pre-discussion answers Guy and Mildred: 1-Do you have any new impressions of the “parlor walls” in part two of the novel? Note that when the walls are not lit they are empty and gray looking. No art on the walls or favorite family photos or portraits. The room feels cold and dead. 2-“We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there is at last one which makes the heart run over.” This quote is from a book by James Boswell about Dr. Samuel Johnson, a poet, playwright, and essayist. Why do you think it is included here? What is the meaning? It takes a long time for friendships to form. They begin with acts of kindness and eventually the heart runs over with love. Montag understands now why he was always looking for Clarisse. 3-“That favorite subject Myself.” This quote is from a letter by James Boswell. Contrast Montag’s understanding with Mildred’s understanding of this quote. Montag understands that the quote is alluding to how self-absorbed people really are. Mildred immediately says she understands this quote--she is self-absorbed. 4-While Montag has shut off the door alarm, there is someone there when he reads the books. Who is it? The hound. Mildred thinks it is a dog (electric doggies in this futuristic world). Montag is firm “Stay where you are!” when she asks if she should shoo it away. Montag is sure it is the hound. Also Mildred says that books aren’t people. She claims she looks around but no one is there….what about Guy? Isn’t he somebody? She is accustomed to talking to the walls. 5-In this middle section, Bradbury is creating more emotion for his characters in a world that seems sterile of all emotion. What are some of the things that Guy is upset about? The endless stream of bombers in the sky. The possibility that while they are well-fed, other people in the world may be starving. He has illegal books. He doesn’t understand what he is reading. He cannot communicate with Millie. He fears that the hospital has a file on Milie and what they pumped from her stomach the other night. He has no idea what happened to Clarisse and her family. The woman who burned with her books is haunting him. 6-Montag realizes he cannot interpret the written word. He needs help and goes in search of Faber. Do the names Faber and Montag ring a bell? (hint Faber-Castell)

2F-451 2 Faber is a company that makes pencils/pens. They are now the Faber-Castell Corporation. Montag Brothers was a paper company. Bradbury did not realize that he had given these meaningful names until the book was published. Please note some of the interesting sentence structure going forward with paper and pencil. 7-Who is Faber? Why is he retired? Professor of English, retired 40 years ago when the college had one student and no patrons. 8-Montag has a dilemma: He is not sure which book he should turn in to Beatty. What is the significance of Jefferson and Thoreau? Jefferson wrote The Declaration of Independence and Thoreau, Civil Disobedience. The books represent two great minds who wrote about freedom of thought. Jefferson makes his case to Great Britain through a declaration that essentially says men are created by God as free men and a government has no authority to take that away. Thoreau writes in 1849 that people must not obey laws that are unjust. Thoreau refused to pay his taxes because he didn’t want to fund a war (he was against violence). 9-Mildred asks, “Who’s more important, me or that Bible?” What say you and why? I know this one is too easy. It needs to be pointed out, lest we miss it. The take-away here is that Mildred is not going to change anyone’s life--not even her own. “Sitting there like a wax doll in its own heat” -An image of fire to describe Mildred. Wax is not valuable; it is fragile, moldable; It crumbles, under pressure. Guy imagines Beatty burning the book, each burned page is a black butterfly, a scorched moth, a burned petal of a flower. Numerous images of fire in this novel. (Look for those.) 10-What is the meaning of the story of the sieve and the sand? No matter how much sand he poured, the sieve would always be empty. Montag is empty--emotionally. He wants to make some of the pages stick as he rides through the subway but he cannot. 11-Denham’s Dentifrice is a toothpaste. What observations do you make about the jingle on the train? Radio vomited upon Montag. The train ride illustrates that the people are constantly bombarded with sound in this futuristic world. Montag wants to read, but he cannot, because of the loud commercial. He exits the train at Knoll View where someone is bound to report him as insane. (He was openly carrying a Bible.) 12-When Faber tells Montag he is brave, Montag says what? “My wife’s dying. A friend of mine’s already dead. Someone who may have been a friend was burnt…” (Millie, Clarisse and the old woman)

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Also Faber says the Bible has been changed by the parlor walls. The Jesus of the parlor walls is a salesman. Some might say this is a form of blasphemy. Do you agree? 13-A book is a receptacle where we store things we are afraid we will forget . Others are phonograph records (music), movies and friends. Faber is clear: The parlor walls didn’t have to be life-sucking. They could have shown life--a wedding, a birth, a beautiful story...a good Jane Austen movie….a great Shakespeare play…..The Chosen….(a good time to find out what your students enjoy.) 14-Faber says books have Quality (texture of information), Leisure and The right to carry out actions based on what we learn. 15-Explain the meaning of the story of Hercules and Antaeus. Antaeus was a giant wrestler who had amazing strength as long as his feet were on the ground. (Rooted in quality) Hercules lifted him off the earth and easily defeated him. The point is that as long as the parlor walls and seashell radios hold the people’s minds in the air, they are powerless. The noise and brainwashing keeps the people from being strong or taking a stand. It keeps them off-balance. 16-Books alone don’t make us happy but they serve as a Praetorian Guard to our souls. How? Praetorian guards were the personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors. You are what you read. Reading the Bible as Christians helps us to keep our life in check. Knowing scripture may help us to know how to handle difficult situations in our life. Lawyers spend a lot of time reading law books. Essentially, books remind us that we are mortal. 17-The “Salamander devouring his tail” is a plan where Faber and Montag will plant books in the firemen’s houses to demolish the organization. Later in the conversation, the professor says that the people stopped reading long ago and that the civilization is flinging itself to pieces. He says he cannot help Montag. In desperation, Montag does what? He picks up the Bible and begins by tearing off the fly-leaf, then page one, page two and continues while Faber asks him to stop! He reminds Faber that he is a fireman and can burn him. He needs to get Faber’s attention. He needs to get his help. ● Their plan is very vague. Faber describes a semester where only one student signed up for class. He remembers the newspapers as dying moths. During this time, he met a book printer.

2F-451 4 ● Faber and Montag will use the uncertainty of war, people being bombed out of their homes to possibly make their stage whisper carry. Faber tells Montag there is some juvenile delinquent in all of us. ● Faber will speak into Montag’s ear as a voice of reason against Beatty. Montag will turn in a substitute book to Beatty. ● Montag worries that he still isn’t thinking for himself because he is letting Faber tell him what to do and say. (Get money, talk to Beatty) 18-Faber reads the story of Job in Montag’s ear. Who is Job and what happens to him? This will help Montag understand the use of parables as a teaching tool in the bible. Job is a parable about a man who is blessed. But one day the devil tells God that he can make Job curse God and die. God knows Job has a steadfast heart and so He allows Job to be tempted. Despite all the sickness and death, advice of well-meaning friends and family--Job remains true to his God and praises Him. The story is about not sinking into a state of despair; staying true. 19-Why do you think Bradbury mentions Job? Job had done nothing wrong but his suffering was great. Montag, also, didn’t create his circumstance. Instead, he is actively seeking to change his world for the better. 20- The parlor walls are described as “the volcano’s mouth” as Bradbury continues his imagery of Versuvius, the famous, disastrous volcano. Montag pulls the main switch on the parlor and attempts to make conversation. List any idiosyncrasies about the ladies’ responses. What are their attitudes about life, family, etc.,? The women have phrases that are almost like commercial jingles--in again, out again, Finigan; the race must go on; just as soon kick as kiss me; They do not speak of a husband or children as people they love; totally expendable. Children are sent to school for 9 days at a time. 3 days a month in the parlor. The women react in bizarre ways to the attempts at conversation. “Talk politics to please Guy” Note how the women squirm--hem straightening, looking at nails, touching hair. 21-Montag reads Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold, a Victorian poet. At the end, what happens to each of the women? Why is the book tossed into the incinerator? Mrs. Phelps cries. The other ladies seem shocked. Millie’s attempts to sooth but then snaps at her to stop crying. They are uncomfortable with emotion. Mrs. Bowles becomes angry with Montag, saying that poetry makes people suicidal. Mrs. Bowles says she will not be back. (Note Mildred’s comment about the poem that goes “umpty, tumpty, ump.” Perhaps Guy read her a nursery rhyme or something with a simple rhyme scheme.) Guy is upset with himself and with Faber’s reaction. He removes the earpiece and puts the books in the bushes.

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22-Montag-plus-Faber is a phrase that can also mean “paper-plus-pencil” though Bradbury didn’t realize what he had written until later. List some times that paper-plus-pencil has changed the world. The Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the Bible, MLK--I have a dream. Montag arrives at the station and Beatty begins his quips and quotes. (Handout) Faber tells Montag to take in Beatty’s words, then listen to Faber’s words but Montag must make his own decision. The author tells us that freedom of thought and action have been taken away in this world but they are very important to human beings. 23-Faber tells him to take it easy. Beatty belongs to the “solid, unmoving cattle of the majority” and the “terrible tyranny of the majority.” What is another name for this? The Mob, Mob Rule, Group Think, herd mentality, jumping on the bandwagon, etc., Montag does not have time to respond to Beatty’s accusation because the fire alarm rings. During the crazy ride where Beatty drives, they end up in front of Montag’s house. Bradbury is wonderful at leaving the reader hanging on the cliff. He wrote screenplays and even had a tv show for a while called Ray Bradbury Theatre where his short stories came to life....